Starfish Fungus

Aseroe rubra, commonly called Anemone Stinkhorn or Starfish Fungus,

One of my students, knowing of my interest in the stinkhorns, came to let me know that one had hatched. Such great students we have!

These fungi are short-lived and come from sacs that look rather like puffballs - inside the sac is the fully formed compressed fungi body. Once they 'hatch' from the sac they produce this sticky brown substance, it stinks and that attracts flies. The substance has the spores in it and as the flies eat and walk in the spores, they attach to them and that means they carry them off and spread them further afield.

They're fascinating looking things - but don't get too close to that smell.

I know I blipped these last year a couple of times, but I find them fascinating.